4-Year Old Biting Fingernails

Have you tried bribing her with going to get a manicure pedicure? Or if that's too pricey, giving her one at home. The nicer her nails are the more my daughter didn't bite them... In the car maybe she needs something else to chew on like a snack. Just throwing ideas out there. I remember when I was five my dad put tabasco on my nails and I NEVER chewed them again. Of course I think that is just MEAN!! I didn't think that nail polish that taste bad worked...

My son does this also. I got the bad tasting polish. It didn't work for us. HE would ask for it and then still bite. (Toes too!) He stopped for a while and is doing it again. I think it has to do with stress and bordem and our house. When he is happy and doing well, it don't notice it. If he's been getting in a lot of trouble or watching alot of TV (we usually watch a ton when we're sick,)he bites. I would try giving her a bit more attention. Maybe some one on one time (even if it's just a short book or puzzle.) And I would try to get her using her hands more; puzzles, drawing and coloring, painting, gluing, games (we have a leapster,).... anything that uses her hands. Good luck!

There is something that you can put on her nails that makes them taste yucky when she puts them in her mouth. My sister in law had the same problem as a child and it cleared it up. It goes on just like nailpolish but clear. I can't think of the name off hand but I know it is at daiei and walmart.

I've mentioned this quite a few times lately, must be a real concern for lots of parents and in my opinion, nail biting can turn into a very bad habit.....There is a product available over the counter called Control-It. It works great. I've seen it work on toddlers and adults. One quit the first time it was used the other took a few more days, but it was under control in a few days.....Should really try it, hundred percent natural and it is also used to stop thumb sucking.....Hope this helps.....GOOD LUCK.....Nagging doesn't make it worse, but it doesn't get it under control either.....THIS PRODUCT DOES!

Our 15 month old daughter started bighting her nails during a stressful time when we were moving and new baby in the home. This kept up for a few months. I agree with one of the other responses it is caused by stress and/or boredom. When you catch her bighting her nails try to distract and comfort her. Our daughter now 2yrs,4months only picks at her nails an I'll catch her when she is standing there bored or experiencing a stressful situation. Try comforting and reassuring her. My daughter hates for me to trim both hand and toe nails, but amazingly allows older sister to paint them! Good luck...

Maybe Im of the wrong thinking here but, what does it matter if she bites her nails??? I use to bit my nails as a kid and I have beautiful well kept nails now. By the time shes old enough to really care and want pretty nails she will stop. My daughters bite both their finger and toe nails and though "I" want them to have pretty nails that "I" can paint, they dont care ...yet. Does biting cause her nails to bleed then that may be a concern because of infection.
Just a different opinion being thrown out there.....
M